


A Fight For Attention

by SquishyDO_soo



Category: EXO (Band), K-pop
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/M, Fem!Kyungsoo, High School, Multi, a little cheesy, genderbent character, minor nosebleed/blood tw, tags are subject to change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-22
Updated: 2016-04-22
Packaged: 2018-06-03 17:00:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6618847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SquishyDO_soo/pseuds/SquishyDO_soo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Moving schools was now part of Kyungsoo's everyday life. Leaving her friends made her feel lonely and moving, itself, made her feel worse. What happens when she attracts the attention of eleven handsome lads in this new school? Will there up and downs? Will everything go well for her?</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Fight For Attention

**Author's Note:**

> This story was edited/co-written by me (Karen) and written by Ruth (SquishyDO_soo). I am not personally very familiar with k-pop, but Ruth is a huge fan so direct any questions/comments to her. This story has taken a while to write, and is not completely finished so updates may be slow. Any and all feedback is appreciated.  
> -  
> Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. None of the events written about actually happened and all representations of real people are fictitious.  
> \- Karen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kyungsoo's first day at XOXO high school.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit lengthy, and will be posted in three parts on asianfanfics.com. There are minor differences - mostly in the grammar or details, but the events are the same. Future chapters may not be as long.  
> ***There is a very short scene involving blood (from a nosebleed, not in graphic detail) but if you are sensitive you may want to avoid it!  
> -  
> Link for asian.fanfics.com: http://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/1113660/1/fighting-for-attention-genderbend-highschoolau-kyungsooxeveryone

“Kyungsoo! Get up or you’re going to be late!” shouted Kyungsoo’s mother. Her voice sounded slightly muffled, and Kyungsoo could tell she was downstairs, probably making breakfast. Kyungsoo rolled over in bed, covering her face with her blanket. She could already feel her eyes beginning to close again; she didn't want to go to school - she didn't even want to get to out of bed. Today would be her first day at a new school, and it felt like her hundredth ‘first day.’ She dreaded it. Her father was constantly getting new job offers from different companies, and every time Kyungsoo had stayed at one school long enough to make friends, her father moved them all to a different place. It was frustrating, but because she was only sixteen years old, she couldn’t do anything about it.

Kyungsoo finally got up and went to the bathroom across the hall. She took a quick shower and got dressed in the bathroom. On the way out, she looked in the mirror and sighed. Kyungsoo was always told that she had pretty features - heart shaped lips, black hair, almond shaped eyes - but in her own mind, she was nowhere near attractive.

She heads down the carpeted stairs in a rush, knowing that she was going to be too late to catch the bus. Her mother stood at the stove, an apron tied around her waist. Her father sat at the table with a cup of coffee and a plate of breakfast already in front of him. Her older brother sat next to him, looking as sleepy as Kyungsoo still felt.

“Kyungsoo! Have breakfast before-” he starts as Kyungsoo races past. She hitches her backpack over one shoulder and slammed the door on the way out before her father could finish his sentence. She resented her father for making her have to move to a different school every year - it made her feel lonely, leaving her friends behind. Whenever he tried to make it up to her, she only felt worse.

Kyungsoo decides to walk to the school - the building was only a few blocks away from her house, and there was no way she was going back inside to ask her father or mother for a ride. The walk was quiet and she couldn't help but wish for a pair of headphones and some music.

When Kyungsoo got to the front gate, she immediately heard yelling and talking. She could see students walking out of luxurious cars and clustering into groups in the school yard. She walked slowly towards the crowd and tried to get pass the chaos - until she felt someone put their hand on her shoulder.

She turned around cautiously, already forming an angry sentence in her head. Just as she was about to open her mouth, she noticed who the offender was.

Her eyes widened and she yelled out “Ryeowook!” She leaned in to hug her sassy childhood friend. They had become best friends in middle school, but they were soon separated from each other when Kyungsoo’s father had accepted an offer to work for C&J food company. They remained in touch but almost never saw each other outside of video chats. Even now - after her father had started work at a different company - she couldn’t help but feel a certain resentment to any packaged food with the company’s label on it.

“I've missed you, Soo! I haven't seen you in ages!” He said excitedly.

“Me too! I've bee-” Kyungsoo gets cut off when someone else behind her puts a hand on her shoulder and starts speaking.

“Can you move out of the way?” Kyungsoo could already feel another angry sentence bubbling up in her head as she turned around to face whoever was speaking to her. A boy with dark, slicked-back hair stared angrily at her, as if Kyungsoo were the one being rude. Kyungsoo couldn’t help but notice the size of his ears. She was strangely reminded of Yoda from Star Wars. Behind him were nearly a dozen other boys, all wearing expensive shoes and clothing. Around them were students - _more like fans,_ Kyungsoo couldn’t help but think - glaring at her.

Kyungsoo was infuriated by him and all of the students around him. She was the type of person that could not take rudeness very well.

She decided to stand there defiantly instead of move for the boy.

“Move!” The big-eared boy repeated. She maintained her icy glare and was about to say something else when Ryeowook grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the way.

“I apologize, my friend,” he pauses to point a finger at Kyungsoo, “- is new here.”

The dark-haired boy left with his groupies following close behind him. Other students followed and took pictures of them. Kyungsoo could hear snickers and teeth smacking as they passed her.

When they all left, Ryeowook turned hit Kyungsoo’s arm scoldingly. “Yah! What if you get kicked out? Do you not know who that is?”

Kyungsoo groans in pain, rubbing her arm, “What if my arm falls off?”

“Stop being stubborn and listen to me. Do you not know who that is?” Ryeowook asked with eyebrows arched.

“No, let me guess - a character from Star Wars? A certain character whose name starts with a Y?” Kyungsoo said jokingly - and a bit naively.

“Are you kidding me? Stop messing around. That was Park Chanyeol and the people behind them are his crew, EXO,” he said. “And they basically own this whole school. If you ever get on their bad side, you'll be kicked out - or even killed.” Kyungsoo mentally rolled her eyes.

“Anyways, what class do you have?” Ryeowook asked, halting the dramatic voice he’d put on moments before.

“I have to go to the guidance counselor’s office, I haven't gotten my schedule yet, so... Tell me where it is.” Kyungsoo replied. Ryeowook rolled his eyes and led her into the school building. Moments later, he stopped them in front of a door with a plaque that read “School Guidance Counselor.”

“Here we are! Just knock on the door. I'll go now or I'll be late for class, so do your thing.” Ryeowook walks away, disappearing around the end of the corridor.

Kyungsoo knocks on the door lightly, a little nervously. A booming voice called out, “Come in!” Kyungsoo walked in and met the eyes of a man who looked like he was in his early fifties.  “Hello, you seem to be new here - what's your name?” the man said. Kyungsoo’s eyes traveled to his desk, searching for a something that would have his name on it. A plastic plaque identified him as Mr. Lee.

“Kyungsoo,” she answered. “Do Kyungsoo.”

“Ah, well, sit down, I just have to give you your schedule and you’re all set. Wait here for a few minutes.” Mr. Lee hurried out of the office and into a room that Kyungsoo assumed to be a printing room, judging from the sounds of machinery coming from it.

After ten minutes, Mr. Lee is still not back yet. _This man is taking too long_ , Kyungsoo thinks.

A male student walks in with a thin stack of papers in his hands. “Are you Do Kyungsoo?” he asked.

Kyungsoo stood up immediately and said, “Yes, I am.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. The other student’s cheeks flushed pink.

“I'm Suho. Mr. Lee sent me to give you your schedule. He had a situation that came up, so I'm here to help you with whatever you need,” he says.

Kyungsoo takes the schedule in her hand, and looks over it. She doesn’t know what to do or where to go. “Can you show me where I'm supposed to go for first period?”

Suho responded quickly. “Sure, I'm all yours.”

\-----

Kyungsoo sat in her second period English class, absentmindedly looking out of a nearby window. The teacher had made her introduce herself to the class. Although she had been sweating cold bullets, she had tried her best not to stutter. She wasn't much of a talker.

The teacher had put her next to a guy she hadn't seen on the school yard or in the hallways. _He's so pretty. Compared to him, I bet I look like a potato_ , she thinks as she looks at him.

“I know I'm handsome, but that is just too much staring,” the boy says.

The teacher caught Kyungsoo and the boy talking and remarks teasingly, “Luhan, stop flirting with Kyungsoo.” At this the whole class burst into laughter.

Kyungsoo blushed and covered her face in her hands. Peeking through her fingers, she saw a sly smile make its way across the boy’s - Luhan’s - face.

The rest of class was uneventful. Kyungsoo tried to pay attention, but she had no interest in the subject. Lunch time approached, and Kyungsoo texted Ryeowook to ask where his class was. Even though the school had a strict no cell phones policy, she received a reply within seconds.

As Kyungsoo waited for Ryeowook near his classroom, she decided to scare him. She hid behind a pillar and when she saw a shadow, she jumped out. “Boo-!” Kyungsoo stops when she realizes that it wasn’t Ryeowook, but someone else. It was a petite girl, shorter than Kyungsoo - cute was the only word to describe her.

The girl immediately starts speaking with a confused look on her face. “Kyungsoo? Soo, is that you?” She pulls Kyungsoo into a bone-crushing hug. She felt like she had forgotten how to breathe until the girl pulled away.

Kyungsoo gives her a confused and slightly apologetic look. “Er, who are you?” she asks.

“It’s me, Dara. Sandara Park,” the girl pointed to herself as she spoke. Kyungsoo blacked out for a moment until realization hit her.

“Dara!” Kyungsoo shouts. “I've missed you so much!”

“I see you guys have already met each other. Now let's go get lunch. I'm starving,” Ryeowook says suddenly from behind Kyungsoo’s shoulder.

They walked to the cafeteria together. In the cafeteria, everything was wild. Everyone was separated based on their groups; the overly obsessed book nerds, the competitive jocks, the delinquents, crazily making out with each other, the normal kids who - well there was nothing special about them.

And finally, the rich kids. The “kingkas” and “queenka” of XOXO high school. To Kyungsoo they were nothing more than spoiled brats who couldn't even take of themselves.

Kyungsoo had finished getting her lunch and she had trouble deciding where to sit - so she just randomly picked a table. The moment she sat down, she could hear gasps and murmurs coming from the students nearest her. _Did I do something wrong?_

She remains seated, waiting for Dara and Ryeowook to get their lunches. A couple of other students walk towards Kyungsoo and sit down at nearby tables, giving each other confused looks as if to say _“Is this where we normally sit?”_

“Get up, this is where I sit,” a familiar voice says. Kyungsoo looks up to see Park looking down at her. _It's the guy from this morning; why is he here?_ Kyungsoo thinks. “Can you not hear me? I said ‘Get up!’ ” He shouts, this time getting everyone’s attention.

At this, Kyungsoo was maddened. She stands up with her tray in her hand.

She glares at him. “I'll stand up, but you'll have to sit, so...” She takes her milk carton and pours the contents on the seat.

“Happy now?” She scoffs and walks away to find another seat.

Dara sits down next to Kyungsoo. “What happened there?” She asks, pointing to the seat where Kyungsoo had spilled milk.

“I spilled milk on that guy’s seat,” Kyungsoo replies without a hint of remorse. She said it as calmly as if she’d only answered a question about the weather. Clearly, that was not the right response.

“What? You did what?!” Dara shouts and hits Kyungsoo on the arm. “Do you not know who that is? That’s Park Chanyeol and his dad owns this whole school and the people sitting around him comes from rich and powerful backgrounds, so don't get on their bad side or-” she takes a hand and slides it across her neck, the universal gesture meaning ‘you'll die’.

“It's not that serious! I already know who he is; Ryeowook told me,” Kyungsoo said with a roll of her eyes. “What’s up with his little ‘crew,’ though?”

“They're EXO, you _pabo_! First of all, the one with the big ears is Park Chanyeol - AKA Happy Virus - the son of - no, the heir of SM entertainment,” Sandara said

“Haha. ‘Happy virus,’ he doesn't seem very happy,” Kyungsoo said, “He looks grumpy and shi-”

“He's been that way seen he lost his mother in a car accident. He thinks he is _so_ bloody rich. He goes around and shows it off. I just don’t see why he has so many fangirls.” She leans closer to Kyungsoo and drops her voice to a whisper. “ _And fanboys.”_

She continues in her normal voice. “Anyways, the one with the sun-kissed skin is Kim Jongin - also known as Kai -  he's one of the guys that - well, he's a player. His mother is a famous actress and his father is the CEO of Choco Bank, which is basically the biggest bank in the country, with over five billion customers worldwide.” She points at Kai. “That's him. Just don't ever look him in the eye, and try to avoid him as much as possible.”

“Yeah, yeah. I see,” Kyungsoo says absent-mindedly, taking a bite of her sandwich.

“Are you even listening?” Sandara asked her angrily.

“What are you guys talking about? You guys look like you're planning to kill someone,” Ryeowook says as he slides in the seat in front of Sandara.

Sandara ignored him and continued. “Do you see the one with blonde hair at the end of the table? That one who looks all cold and mysterious?” Kyungsoo followed her gaze and nodded. “Okay, that's Kris, he's the captain of the basketball team, since his father owns one of the successful sport and entertainment companies in the nation, EcSport, and plus he has _some_ skills.” She snickers. “Try to avoid him too, he’s basically the school’s ‘heartbreaker.’ Don’t get involved in his antics.”

Ryeowook interrupts through a mouthful of his lunch. “He kicked me off the basketball team for being more skilled than him. I’m better than him, obviously.”

Sandara rolls her eyes. ”That was not the reason why you got kicked out. It was because you decided to show up wearing high heel sneakers to a basketball match.” She turned back to Kyungsoo. “So anyways, there’s Luhan, the pretty boy. Doesn’t he look so feminine?” she asks.

“His pretty face is goals.”

“He claims to be manly, but in my eyes, I just don’t see that.” She crosses her arms, “Plus, I’m prettier than him.”

Kyungsoo laughs obnoxiously. “If you're prettier than him, I must be prettier than a goddess.” Kyungsoo shook her head, still laughing.

Sandara changes the topic. “His parents are not that successful and rich, but he's a well-known model. He works for SYOU cover magazine, I heard it’s a famous clothing brand in Korea.”

“Who else is there?” Kyungsoo asked curiously.

“There's Oh Sehun, youngest of the group. He's really outgoing, but he's known to be the ‘evil maknae.’ None of the EXO members can control him, except for Luhan and Suho.”

 _Suho? Suho… Where have I heard that name? Hmm…_ Kyungsoo thinks.

Dara must have seen the look on her face because she starts speaking again. “Ah, you probably don't know Suho. He's the student body president of XOXO high school, his dad is the Vice President and he is working in the blue house.”

A light bulbs lights up in Kyungsoo’s mind. “Ah, now I remember him, he's the one who I met earlier,” she says.

“You met him? He's usually such a busy body so other students rarely see him. He's also the one in charge in EXO, even though he might not be the richest,” Dara said

“Do you see the one with pink hair?” Kyungsoo nods her head. “Well, he's Xiumin, he may look young, innocent, and fragile. But - plot twist - he's the oldest, basically the strongest and he could beat them all to a pulp if he wanted to,” Dara says, while pretending to shiver.

“And the guy next to him, the one with the high cheek bones is his brother. He's the opposite of Xiumin. He's more girly and a lot like Sehun, but even worse. He's a troll an-” she gets cut off before she can finish her sentence.

“Aren't you going to talk to me too?” Ryeowook asked suddenly. He’d finished all of the food on his plate and was sitting impatiently. “You’ve only talked to Soo since she got here.” He puts on a sad face and tries to do _aegyo_.

“Okay, fine. You can join in,” Dara said, exasperated.

“Oh! I want to introduce the last three: Baekhyun, Tao, and Lay!” Ryeowook shouts.

“Shh! Keep it down.” Dara snaps.

“Okay, fine, I'll start with Baekhyun. He's the ‘beagle’ of the group. He talks a lot and sometimes he can be _extremely_ annoying, but whenever he sings, he will blow you away with his voice, his voice is to die for. His hands are REALLY pretty.” Ryeowook smiles widely. “If I was a girl, I would totally have the hots for him”.

Sandara and Kyungsoo look at each other weirdly and then back at Ryeowook. “WHAT?!” they both asked at the same time.

“I'm just saying, I would date him if I was a girl,” Ryeowook replies.

The three of them sat there in silence for a few seconds, awkwardly. Dara recovered first. “You’d totally date him right now, and you’re still a guy.”

“Okay, let's get back to introducing EXO,” Kyungsoo said, changing the subject.

With that, Ryeowook continued. “Next is Tao and Lay Tao - AKA kung-fu panda - is the second youngest of the group. He can be a coward sometimes, but he knows how to fight - by fight, I mean martial arts. He’s also the co-captain for the basketball team,” he sighs. “Next is Lay, AKA the healing unicorn, he’s pretty much the nice kid who everyone gets along with. His parents are in the real estate business and they have been selling hundreds of houses for the past twenty-something years.” Ryeowook paused. “Did Dara tell you that some of them are Chinese?”

“No, why?”

“Oh, I was just asking. I just wanted to tell you that some of them are Chinese - I think like four of them.” Ryeowook finished just before the bell rang, signifying the end of lunch.

“Now that you know a little about them, let's not cause any trouble, okay?” Sandara says as she puts her arm around her shoulders.  

\-----

It was almost the end of the school day, and Kyungsoo had gym. The class was playing dodgeball.

Kids were screaming as they tried to avoid the ball that flew straight towards them at lightning speed. Some kids just stood there, looking at their nails and checking their appearances in compact mirrors. Some played the game violently, and others sat on the bleachers, listening to music or trying to do homework.

Kyungsoo had started sweating from the inside out. She managed to avoid a dodgeball. _Hah!_ she thinks, turning around, but just as she does so - BAM!

Kyungsoo manages to pick herself up and headed for the bleachers as her the teacher told her to.

She sat at the bleacher giving pissed looks at the person who had smashed her face with a dodgeball, even though she know that it was just a game.

Still in her sulking stance, a figure approaches her.

“Here, use this.” The stranger said, handing her a handkerchief.

Kyungsoo looks up to see a male student. To her, he was glowing, surrounded by flower petals. Her heart begins to beat at an alarming rate. She felt her face heat up and was sure her cheeks were bright red.

“You look like you might need it, _sweetheart,_ ” he says, smirking.

 _Did he just call me sweetheart?_ Kyungsoo thinks, making her heart beat faster, at a rate of 200 per second - is that even possible?

When she reached up to grab the handkerchief, her arms were shaking violently.

“T-t-thank you,” Kyungsoo says, stuttering. _Smooth. Real smooth,_ she thinks.

Kyungsoo then realizes that her nose was bleeding, so she immediately wipes at her nose with the handkerchief, not realizing that the blood had smeared all over her upper lip.

To this, the guy chuckles, covering his smiling lips.

“What's so funny?” She asks, tilting her head slightly to the side.

“Oh it's nothing, it's just that you're _way_ too cute,” he smirks once again. “By the way, I'm Kim Jongin, but you can call me Kai.”

His comment made her blush, but it also made her cringe so bad, she sweared that her toenails and fingernails curled up.

Realization hit her once again.

 _He must be Kai - the Kai, Dara was talking about. Hmm. Player? Well, let's play a game,_ she thinks.

“I'm Kyungsoo, Do Kyungsoo. Nice to meet you Kai-ssi,” Kyungsoo says slyly as she has evil schemes piling up in her mind.

\-----

It was the end of the school day and everyone was waiting impatiently for the last bell to ring.

She was lucky enough to have Sandara in her last class, she wouldn't have to be completely alone.

As she was taking notes from the board, she could feel someone’s stare on the back of her head.

She turns her head quickly to catch the person in the act, but the moment she turned around completely the guy pretended not to be looking at her, instead looking at his hand.

“Nice hands - for a man, that is,” she speaks to the person behind her.

The man blushes, “Thanks? I grew them myself.”

With that, Kyungsoo turns back around to distract Sandara from taking notes.

The teacher, Ms. Cho, slams her marker down on the table, loudly, so everyone can quiet down.

“I will be assigning you partners for an assignment on environmental disasters in the twenty first century. You will have to write a ten page essay and create a visual presentation. Whether it be a clay model or a poster board.” Ms. Cho pauses, thinking. “You can either type it up or write it on paper with a pen, no pencils allowed. One person is not allowed to do all the work, all of the partners need to help out, too.”

The students groan loudly.

“Silence.” Ms. Cho demanded, “No complaining. No slacking off.”

Ms. Cho then assigns the groups, putting two or three people in each one.

 _“_ Seunghyun, Seungri, and Taeyang, you guys are in one group. _”_ Ms. Cho continues, reading off of a piece of paper.

Sandara and Kyungsoo cross their fingers, hoping to be in the same group.

“Dara _Unni_ , what if we don't get put in the same group as each other? There's no one else here that I know,” Kyungsoo whispers

“Don't worry, we'll be put in the same group,” Sandara says, trying to stay positive.

They both waited until their names were called.

“Sehun, Baekhyun, and…Kyungsoo will be in one group,” Ms. Cho announces, getting both Sandara and Kyungsoo’s attention.

All Sandara did was gave her the _heol_ look and gasp as if she had just witnessed a murder.

The girls in the class sent Kyungsoo glares and laser beam like looks; they were jealous.

Kyungsoo sighs, accepting the fact that she, once again, had to talk to strangers.

“The assignments are due next week, get it done or your grades will suffer.”

The bell suddenly rings. Sandara had already left to the student council committee, since she is the vice president of the committee.

Kyungsoo packs her stuff up, shoving her spiral notebooks and pencil case in one swipe. She was in a hurry to get home, until she felt a sudden tap on her shoulder.

Turning around, she can see a tall guy with blonde hair and another guy who was a lot shorter; it was the guy with pretty hands from earlier.

Kyungsoo had almost forgotten that they had an assignment.

“Umm, so I was wondering if I could have your number. Oh and by the way, I'm Sehun,” he said.

 _Sehun? Ahh, Sehun. Haha. ‘Evil maknae.’ He doesn't look so evil,_ Kyungsoo thinks and then realizes what he was saying.

Kyungsoo eyes grew wide. “You want my number?”

“No - well, I mean yes, but in a I’m-asking-for-it-for-the-group-project sort of way,” Sehun replies confidently.

Kyungsoo was about to respond when she was interrupted. “I want your number too!” The guy next to him says, smiling.

“I'm Baekhyun by the way,” he says in a more confident way then Sehun.

“The one with the pretty hands?” Kyungsoo asks, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes, the one with the pretty hands.” Baekhyun replies, blushing once again. “Now give me your number - for the same reason.”

Kyungsoo typed her phone number in each of their phones respectively.

She was so distracted that she didn't know what was going on it front of her. Sehun and Baekhyun glared at each other as if to say _“she's mine, so back off.”_

Kyungsoo handed them back both of their phones and she grabs her book bag.

“Meet me at the library. Tomorrow. During lunch - twelve fifteen, got it?” Kyungsoo said.

Baekhyun and Sehun both nodded, mesmerized by Kyungsoo’s demanding voice. it turned them on a little bit.

\-----

It was dinner time and everyone had long since been dismissed home.

Kyungsoo’s mother was a bit of a typical housewife. Her father was an executive director in SM entertainment, where top celebrities resided. Her brother, Seungsoo, was a bit overprotective and a couple of years older than her. He was currently attending Seoul University, but she still didn't fully understand why he had gotten into the university in the first place. Seungsoo was one of those brothers who would never allow his sister to date anyone, no matter who they were. He was too protective and - well, nosy at most times.

Kyungsoo silently played with her food, stabbing it with her chopstick. She didn't have an appetite, after all the chaos that happened today.

Her dad decides to break the silence, “So, Kyungsoo, how was your first day of school?”

Kyungsoo looked up and replied, “It was good,” not wanting to give any exclusive details, since it would make her parents and brother worried, as always. “Thanks for always moving me to a different school every year.” A hint of sarcasm could be heard in her voice.

“You're welcome, Soo,” Kyungsoo’s father said jokingly and they both smiled at each other.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Don't forget to comment, leave kudos and subscribe! x


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